Showing posts with label fun fold cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun fold cards. Show all posts

July 20, 2026

3 Easy Lily of the Valley Cards for Every Kind of Crafter

 Have you ever fallen in love with a stamp set, only to bring it home and wonder what on earth you should make with it?

The Stampin’ Up! Lily of the Valley Bundle makes that decision much easier. Its delicate flowers can look soft and simple, bold and modern, or beautifully elegant depending on the colors and techniques you choose.

During this week’s Stampin’ Sundays with Katrina, I created three handmade cards—including an easy Z-fold birthday card. Whether you’re new to stamping, short on crafting time, or simply looking for fresh card-making inspiration, you’ll find an idea here that you can recreate.

An Easy Z-Fold Birthday Card That Stands Up for Display

The first project is a Z-fold birthday card featuring Pretty Peacock cardstock and the gorgeous Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper.

A Z-fold is one of my favorite fun folds because it looks impressive without requiring complicated cutting or scoring. The card base is simply scored at 4 1/4" and again at 2 1/8". Fold the card in half as usual, then fold the front panel back on itself.

That’s it—you have a Z-fold!

I used two Everyday Arches die cuts for the front and inside of the card. The front arch features the large die-cut lily of the valley and a “Happy Birthday” greeting. The matching arch inside provides a place for the message, “To one of the nicest people I know,” along with a handwritten note.

Here’s an important assembly tip: when attaching a shape across the front fold, add adhesive only to the section touching the narrow front panel. Otherwise, you may accidentally glue your card closed. I lined up the front arch with the one inside before pressing it into place.

This card stands beautifully on a mantel, desk, or shelf—perfect for the person who loves to display and save handmade cards.

A Quick Card for Busy Crafting Days


The second card is proof that a quick card can still be absolutely beautiful.

I started with a Thick Basic White card base and added a Pool Party layer. The background combines two coordinating papers: a leafy pattern from the Valley in Bloom Designer Series Paper and a tone-on-tone design from the Luxe White Specialty Designer Series Paper.

The specialty paper is lovely on its own, but I wanted its subtle pattern to stand out. Using a blending brush, I added Balmy Blue ink to the center of the paper. The color gently settles around the raised design, making the pattern easier to see while keeping the background soft.

The small lily of the valley image was stamped in black and colored with Pool Party and Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends. Two overlapping circular die cuts create the focal point, with the smaller circle holding the simple “Happy for you” greeting.

This design is a great card recipe to save. Choose two coordinating patterned papers, add a simple stamped image, and finish with two layered shapes. You can easily adapt it for birthdays, congratulations, thank-you cards, or thinking-of-you cards.

And yes, we decided it needed rhinestones—because a little bling makes everything better!

Create Texture with Torn Two-Tone Cardstock


The third card has a bolder color combination, pairing Basic Beige with Pretty Peacock, Blackberry Bliss, and Granny Apple Green.

For the background, I tore a strip of Blackberry Bliss two-tone cardstock. This cardstock has a white core, so tearing the paper toward yourself exposes that white edge. It creates texture and contrast without adding another layer or specialty tool.

If you want a rougher, more organic appearance, gently distress the torn edge with your fingers after tearing it.

I stamped the large lily of the valley image in Granny Apple Green and used a Blender Pen with a small amount of Balmy Blue ink to shade the base of each white flower. Lily of the valley blossoms are naturally white, so they didn’t need to be completely colored. That little hint of blue was enough to give them depth.

The separate leaves were stamped tone-on-tone on Granny Apple Green cardstock, die cut, and layered behind the flowers. A Pretty Peacock geometric die cut added another bit of interest in the background.

The finished “So grateful for you” card is a wonderful reminder that you don’t always need to color every part of a stamped image. Sometimes a little shading is all it takes.

One Bundle, Three Completely Different Looks

What I love about the Lily of the Valley Bundle is its versatility. We created a dimensional birthday fun fold, a quick and airy “Happy for you” card, and a rich gratitude card using the same bundle.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a new stamp set, try choosing just one element to change on each card:

  • Use a different color combination.
  • Switch between stamped and die-cut flowers.
  • Add a simple fun fold.
  • Combine patterned paper with a subtle coloring technique.
  • Change the sentiment to fit the cards you need most.

You don’t need hours of free time or a craft room full of supplies to make something meaningful. Start with one beautiful image, keep the layout manageable, and let the paper do some of the work for you.

Which of these three Lily of the Valley cards would you make first: the Z-fold birthday card, the soft “Happy for you” card, or the torn-paper gratitude card? Leave me a comment and let me know. Be sure to save this post for your next creative afternoon, and grab the coordinating printable tutorial so you can craft right along with me!

Product List
Add All to Cart
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

June 29, 2026

3 Beautiful Butterfly Cards You'll Love with the Stampin' Up! All Aflutter Bundle

 If you've ever looked at a butterfly stamp set and thought, "It's pretty, but what else can I do with it?" then this week's projects are for you!

The All Aflutter Bundle proves that butterflies aren't just for spring—they're perfect for thinking of you cards, thank you cards, hello cards, birthdays, and so much more. This week I created three completely different cards using one adorable punch bundle, including a fun fold that's easier than it looks!

Whether you're just getting started or you've been stamping for years, I hope these ideas inspire you to pull out your patterned paper and start creating.

Card #1: A Stand-Up Arches Fun Fold

My favorite card of the week has to be the stand-up arches card!

Using the Everyday Arches Dies and the beautiful Velvet Meadow Designer Series Paper, this card creates a gorgeous dimensional display that stands on its own. It looks impressive sitting on a desk or mantel, yet it's surprisingly simple to assemble once you know the scoring trick.

One thing I love about this design is that you can leave the back open to write your message or add another Basic White arch for a polished finish.

Sometimes those "wow" cards are much easier than they first appear!

Card #2: Create a Modern Look with Angled Paper Cuts

Have you ever wanted a card that looks fancy without requiring complicated measurements?

This angled panel card is exactly that.

Instead of measuring several individual pieces, I stacked my cardstock and Designer Series Paper together and cut them all at the same time. When you put the pieces back together like a puzzle, everything fits perfectly.

It's one of those techniques that gives every card a unique look because no two cuts will ever be exactly the same—and that's part of the charm!

To finish it off, I added stamped butterflies and a few embellishments for just the right amount of dimension.

Card #3: Sometimes Simple Really Is Best

Not every handmade card has to be elaborate.

This final card is proof that beautiful Designer Series Paper can do most of the work for you.

The flocked Velvet Meadow paper adds gorgeous texture without any extra effort. By simply shifting the patterned paper slightly to one side instead of centering it, the entire layout feels fresh and modern.

Add a layered sentiment, three punched butterflies, and a little sparkle, and you have a card that's quick enough to make several at once.

Perfect for thank you cards, encouragement cards, or simply building your card stash.

Why I Love the All Aflutter Bundle

One of my favorite things about this bundle is its versatility.

The coordinating punch makes creating butterflies fast and easy—no fussy cutting required. You can:

  • Stamp detailed butterflies or quick all-in-one images
  • Color them with Stampin' Blends or simply stamp and punch
  • Layer them for extra dimension
  • Use them on elegant, whimsical, or everyday cards
  • Pair them with almost any Designer Series Paper

If you're someone who enjoys making cards for lots of different occasions, this bundle gives you plenty of options.

Your Turn!

Which card is your favorite this week?

  • The stand-up arch fun fold?
  • The angled paper design?
  • Or the quick and simple floral card?

I'd love to hear which one you'd make first!

Grab the tutorial Here:


If you'd like the complete PDF tutorial with measurements and step-by-step instructions, directly to your inbox, then be sure you're on my email list. My subscribers receive the tutorial first, and it's one of my favorite ways to thank you for being part of the Katrina's Kreative Heart community.

Until next time, happy stamping!

Product List
Add All to Cart
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
09 10 Code line 7 9 is for loading jQuery library. Remove this line if you’ve already loaded it somewhere else in your blog. Hint: If your blog has an image slider, carousel or something with fading effect running, chances are it is powered by jQuery. If this widget doesn’t work, the first thing you want to do is comment out or remove this line. To use your own button, replace the URL in line 3 with the direct link URL to the image. Make sure to keep the quotes. To reposition the button, replace